Physical Representation

by Zoe Malavenda When walking into Matthews, Meredith, and Shreve Halls, how often do we acknowledge the work these women did for the university? It is important to ask the question of why such research on Mary Matthews, Virginia Meredith, and Eleanor Shreve is necessary. I entered these buildings as a student would if they were simply going to their dorm or class and evaluated the physical depictions of the… Read More
Mary Matthews

by Zoe Malavenda Being raised by a strong woman like Virginia Meredith, Mary Matthews learned firsthand how to break barriers and create opportunities for women. After her mother died when she was a toddler, Virginia adopted Mary and her brother. Mary would go everywhere with Virginia including her speeches at universities and agriculture conventions [1]. Mary graduated from the University of Minnesota with a home economics degree, a program that… Read More
Meredith Hall

by Zoe Malavenda While walking around campus, students pass building after building, each one named after a different person. Do they ever stop to think, who are these people and why is this building named after them? Each one of these namesakes has a story, one that is not often known or recognized by the students that inhabit these buildings each day. Meredith Hall Built in 1952, Meredith… Read More
Grief and Mental Health Advocacy at Purdue

by Faith Zettler The gender revolution of the second half of the twentieth century brought upon America a complete culture shock that redefined the relationship of men, women and other minorities to all dynamics of society as well as opening the door to discussion of mental health, which has been historically deemed as too taboo or feminine to discuss openly. College campuses were not immune to the women’s movements, Purdue… Read More
Betty Nelson: Sleuthing in Bluefield

by Anna Szolwinski Dean Betty Nelson has come to be one of the most highly respected figures in Purdue history. Known for being an “iron fist in a velvet glove,” Betty pioneered the fight for the disabled and contributed to the revolution for women’s rights during her time at Purdue. Female students such as Teresa Roche and Jane Hamblin revere Betty for her commitment to furthering the status of women… Read More